History of Hopetoun

Hopetoun is most fortunate to have a Historical Society that collects, collates and restores records, provides information for a small fee and renovates, restores and maintains buildings, machinery and historical items for future generations.

The historical society are linked to many relevant historical groups/organisations in Victoria and Australia

Significant historical buildings

Hopetoun House – privately owned. This house was built in 1891 for town squire EH Lascelles and family. It reflects the grandeur of the period and the influence of wealthy landowners and politicians and governors of the time. Suitably named after Lord Hopetoun, Governor of Victoria.

Corrong Homestead – open for inspection. Homestead of the first white settlers in Hopetoun, Mr Peter McGinnis and family, who owned the lease on Corrong Station a huge acreage of some 433,700 acres

Many other buildings built in the Victorian and Federation era.

Overview

When visiting Hopetoun you need to be aware that this landscape was originally covered in thick mallee scrub and considered impenetrable by Australia’s first explorers who labelled it a wasteland. Samples of the scrub remain. There were wild animals such as dingoes, emus, kangaroos, foxes and rabbits. The climate was harsh and the water was scarce except for the Creek. McGinnis travelled up the Yarriambiack Creek to find a pleasant setting at Lake Corrong and considered the area ideal for his large flock of sheep. He had many positive dealings with the indigenous people and raised an aboriginal boy named Jowley who was orphaned after a joint tribal battle close to his homestead. Jowley was considered the last of the Corrong tribe called Yarrikaluk, a clan of the Wotjobaluk nation.

Further to this EH Lascelles, the next owner of the Corrong Station lease was a wool buyer and an entrepreneur from Geelong. His passion to habitate this region and prove it to be arable and viable has left a legacy of undying respect for this great man known affectionately as ‘the father of the mallee’. Lascelles put faith, energy and money into the region and town and was a back stop for many people who endured the pioneering days of clearing the land and establishing a farming community. He created an experimental orchard as evidence of the viability.

The open channel system providing water from the Grampians has been the life blood for this community since changes were made to regional water supply and availability of water up the Yarriambiack Creek many years ago coupled with a lower rainfall.

The farming community are a mix of descendants of the pioneers or of those who settled here some time later. They identify with the hard work of their forebears as many have family histories and stories to draw from of common connection. Many of these farmers have developed hereditary resilience as each generation may have different challenges it appears they carry a lighter load than the generation prior however there is more complexity these days. New technology is embraced and is improving the reliability of farming immensely. The blessing of this area is that most years farmers are able to harvest something and in bumper years the yield and quality is something they are very proud of.

A visit to Hopetoun will provide more detailed and interesting information and artifacts.

First Fifty Years 1846 - 1896

1846 Peter McGinnis (pastoralist) and Family settle at Lake CorrongLate 1840’s Corrong Homestead built for McGuiness18… McGinnis family adopt orphan Aboriginal boy Jowley1874 Peter McGinis & family retired to Newtown1878 Edward Harewood Lascelles (wool buyer) buys Corrong Station1883 Mallee Pastoral Lease Act passed – settlers had 20 years to prove value1884 Edward Lascelles also took over Tyrell Downs lease 1885 The Government created the “dingo fence” dividing land north of Galaquil from the south1886 EH Lascelles lobbied Government to subdivide land at Hopetoun1890 Corrong Station was renamed Hopetoun in honour of the visit of Lord Hopetoun, Governor of Victoria1891 The first blocks of land were sold in the township of Hopetoun1880’s – 90’s Many pioneers settled around the Hopetoun district to clear the land and grow wheat.1892 The first newspaper was produced1892 Cricket club formed1892 Hopetoun Progress Association formed1893 The railway line reached Hopetoun (thanks to EH Lascelles)1893 First Police & lock up in Hopetoun1893 Football Club formed1893 First train arrived1894 Train station & First Stationmaster1894 Gun Club commenced1894 Hopetoun elementary school built1895 Hopetoun declared a town again1896 Shire of Karkarooc created & 1st Hopetoun A & P Show was held1896 First rifle club formed1896 First Tennis Club formed 1896 First Commercial Bank formed

Next Fifty Years 1897 - 1947

1897 Golf Club formed1900 Commonwealth of Australia was formed (story of Hopetoun blunder)1910 Fire Brigade formed in Hopetoun1911 Jowley died after a full life, buried at Hopetoun1912 Water commission took over management of town water supply1913 Local generator provided electricity in Hopetoun1913 Telephone exchange commenced1914 Church of England 1915 First car in Hopetoun (owned by Mr Turriff)1917 EH Lascelles died in Geelong in retirement1917 Soldier Settlers Act1918 Local George Goudie elected to parliament MLC for North west1919 RSL known as RSSILA formed1920 First plane landed in Hopetoun1922 Memorial Hall built – opened 19231924 Hopetoun Bowling club established1925 Presbyterian church1927 Lutheran church1928 Scout group formed in Hopetoun1929 Granite drinking fountain erected in Hopetoun in memory of EH Lascelles1930 First tractor in region1932 Local Louis Bussau MLA for Ouyen1935 Country Women's Association (C.W.A.) formed in Hopetoun1938 First concrete silos built (200,000 bushells)1939 Local farmer Keith Dodgshun became MLA for Ouyen1940 Swimming pool opened1943 Hopetoun Bush Nursing Hospital built1944 Iceworks built1945 Hopetoun State School became an Elementary school1945 Wheat price stabilization introduced